Good Samaritan walking dog noticed something unusual while passing restaurant and went to investigate—his ‘single action’ saved the day
The popular phrase “See something, say something” is more powerful than one could imagine. It is our duty as human beings to notify others when we sense danger. A good Samaritan did just that when he noticed something unusual while walking his dog, as reported by BBC News. The man was walking in Shropshire when he passed a restaurant and heard a worrisome sound. He didn’t act on a whim or ignore what he saw, but went out of his way to figure out what was wrong. Further, his one simple, smart decision ended up saving lives and averted a major disaster.
While the stranger's identity remains hidden, his action will always echo loudly. While walking his dog, he was passing by a restaurant and figured something was off. At the time, he didn’t know that their tea towels had caught fire and were moments away from burning the whole place to the ground. As the man made his way to the restaurant, the security alarm also went off, prompting the restaurant owner, Jelly Tench, to take a look.
She noticed the fire and immediately rushed to put it out in time before it could cause more damage or any injury. "He thought they were the security alarms going off and that somebody was robbing the place, so he came and made sure there was nothing he could do,” the woman noted. As simple as his action was, it made a significant difference, which the restaurant owner acknowledged deeply. She mentioned that the fire could have spread and destroyed so much more, along with her business. "That single action stopped a church from burning down. We are so incredibly grateful for what he's done,” she noted.
“Just taking that moment out of his way has changed our lives,” Tench added. The woman was determined to learn the identity of the man. She started a campaign and was able to figure out who he was, inviting him for a meal to thank him. "I have seen him quite a few times locally and he's such a polite and lovely man. I don't know if he realizes yet quite what a difference he made here; he saved our livelihoods and business." Speaking of the cause of the fire, the woman revealed, “There is no explanation. I was in the kitchen two hours after everything was turned off, and there were no problems at all.”
She shared the importance of being up to date with protocol and safety measures for businesses. "It's very scary to see how easily things can happen. It's a sharp reminder that actually you need to do your fire drills and your preparation as much as you can beforehand,” Tench remarked. However, through it all, she will always be grateful to the man who saved the day with his simple kindness. "There are so few people that would stop and try to do something in that moment," said Ms Tench.